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Hot Rocks |
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Noodles
Senior Member Joined: 05 Dec 2010 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 534 |
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Posted: 10 Oct 2012 at 12:44pm |
This might be of interest to some; whilst out doing night work in upland mid Wales last night i came across a 3 ft high x 10 ft wide hummock of acid grassland in a valley mire, adjacent to a small stream. The hump was pocked with rabbit burrows and thinking i might find evidence of an otter holt i shone my torch about looking for spraints.
Instead of spraints I counted 6 palmate newts of varying ages including two juveniles. Two newts were clearly emerging from one burrow and i'm certain the others's had also. The funny thing was that five of the six newts were sitting on small flat stones, presumably taking the heat. This was about one hour after sunset. |
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Donny
Senior Member Joined: 11 May 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 70 |
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Interesting. I pulled some plastic sacking out of a pond on a sunny day in January and found 3 male Palmates inside - the sack had been in direct sunlight and the water inside was warmer.
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GemmaJF
Admin Group Joined: 25 Jan 2003 Location: Essex Status: Offline Points: 4359 |
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I've seen literally dozens of newts under onduline felts placed in shallows and also in a rotting newspaper in shallows in the past, both observations suggesting amphibians will seek artificial heat sources when they can. I think generally 'basking' or at least seeking external heat by native amphibians is rarely mentioned in the literature but they will do it when given the chance. Many years ago when I lived in Suffolk the top of our garden was a rough grassland area. In later summer early autumn one could find common frogs literally 'basking' in the weak sunlight.
Torching for terrestrial newts on warmer damp evenings after dark at this time of year can be very productive.
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liamrussell
Senior Member Joined: 13 Jan 2005 Status: Offline Points: 100 |
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Most Pelophylax species will bask in direct sunlight, as will Hyla.
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Suzy
Senior Member Joined: 06 Apr 2005 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1447 |
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I have found toads, and occasionally frogs, basking under black plastic in the heat of summer (not this one!). They would certainly have got very hot.
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Suz
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Noodles
Senior Member Joined: 05 Dec 2010 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 534 |
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A friend of mine tells of a common frog that regularly basks on the tread of his rear doorstep prior to sunset and into the evening. Day or night, heat regulation of the aforementioned kind (under/on things etc) is to be expected in all amphibians one would assume. I just found this interesting because of the way each animal was stationed about the area, on top of its own little stone. It's not something i'd seen before, although i have seen newts roaming about at night on many occasions. I recorded the particulars at the time; the night was still and heavily overcast, 90% humidity and borderline cold at 8 degrees. One hour post sunset.
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GemmaJF
Admin Group Joined: 25 Jan 2003 Location: Essex Status: Offline Points: 4359 |
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8 degrees is pretty cool, I wonder if these newts didn't have their 'hot rocks' whether they would have been out and about at all?
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Liz Heard
Senior Member Joined: 27 Apr 2010 Location: South West Status: Offline Points: 1429 |
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interesting observation Noods. thanks for sharing.
it was quite cold at 2300hrs but i saw all 3 species of newt foraging in a Suffolk garden last night - including an adult fem GCN with a juv Smoothie stuffed in its jaws! Edited by ben rigsby - 16 Oct 2012 at 2:13pm |
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will
Senior Member Joined: 27 Feb 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1830 |
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'including an adult fem GCN with a juv Smoothie stuffed in its jaws!' - Ben, that's amazing - I have never heard of GCN predating smaller newts on land, though of course it happens from time to time underwater where they are more driven by smell and less choosy about what they will eat (eg cat food, dried tubifex etc). I wish I'd seen that !
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GemmaJF
Admin Group Joined: 25 Jan 2003 Location: Essex Status: Offline Points: 4359 |
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Brilliant Ben something I haven't witnessed either. It's fair to say most amphibians will eat anything that moves that fits in their mouths, but direct evidence of GCN predating small newt species on land is fascinating. Goes a long way to explain why once GCN are in town very little else is likely to be found.
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